The present invention relates to devices used to feed laboratory animals and, more particularly, to a device for covering laboratory animal feeders to prevent contamination of laboratory animal food, and which can be opened without removal from the animal feeder. The present invention is specifically adapted for retrofitting to existing laboratory animal feeders.
It is typical in the storage of laboratory animals to utilize an animal feeder which is affixed to the side of a cage and has an opening so that the animal can receive food from inside the cage. Food is typically placed in the feeder through an opening formed in the top of the feeder. These units typically either have no top cover or have an integral, welded-on hinged top covering the top opening. In laboratory testing environments it becomes critical to make sure the food that is eaten by the laboratory animal does not become contaminated by urine, feces or other animal waste. Such contaminants introduced into the food of laboratory animals may adversely affect or even invalidate the results of experiments in which substances are tested by mixing them with the laboratory animal food. These experiments usually depend upon the purity and known content of food provided to the laboratory animal. In addition, even when test substances are not added to the food, contaminants may tend to adversely affect the lifespan and physical condition of the laboratory animals. This in turn becomes a problem when, as is usually the case, it is important to test laboratory animals which are in normal physical condition.
In large laboratory settings, where multiple cages are stacked one on top of another, there is the possibility for urine, feces, dust and other airborne contaminants to fall into the feeder and contaminate the food. In most instances, the top of feeder is open to receive contaminating debris from outside feeder.
Thus, there exists a substantial need in the art for an improved device for covering an animal feeder which can be retrofitted to conventional feeders and which prohibits contamination by urine and other animal wastes, etc.